Ahhhhhhhhhhh "Sigh"

Dad took this last fall on Cape Cod

Fall..... Autumn..... I believe it's finally here! Yippeee! This is my absolute favorite time of year. Today on the way to the office I saw quite a few trees that were changing their wardrobe. They must be looking forward to the holiday season as much as I am, they were looking breathtaking in their reds, oranges and golds. Now if the temps will just cooperate and drop down by 10-12 degrees I'd be thinking I was already in heaven. I love to have the windows up and hang out in my jeans and sweatshirts. Lying in the hammock reading a book with the leaves drifting down around me. Catching a football game and eating a steaming bowl of soup!

To some it is a beginning of the end of the year and growth as winter approaches, but to me it's always been just a beginning (as summer is my least favorite). I'm finally able to take a deep breath of fresh air, be outside and enjoy it instead of just tolerating it, and the beginning of the holiday season that I so much enjoy. Thanksgiving is five weeks from tomorrow... and Christmas follows so closely. Preparations begin now... in fact I already know what I'm doing for most of my Christmas gifts and will begin on them in the next couple weeks. I will celebrate all the holidays at once with my family over Thanksgiving as that is the first and only time this year we will all be together since March. I've already begun putting out some of my candles and burning them while I'm home. I do miss having a fireplace - if anyone has one that they'd like to share occasionally, let me know - I'll bring snacks!

Anyway, even if this is not your favorite time of year, take a moment to look around you and enjoy the art in nature. I sometimes think that maybe the changing colors are part of nature's way of praising God! He says in His word that if we don't cry out the rocks and the hills will... what's to say that they don't anyway, in their own way. He did create it all! Isn't it amazing to think that our God made us in His own image. That means that you are creative too, as am I. What have you done lately to use that creativity that He gave you? Have you thanked Him or praised Him recently for being your Father and for giving us an everchanging world to live in that we would never have opportunity to get bored with the things around us? Sing His praises and delight in Him for you are His and He created this world for you because He loves you!

Enjoy this season - I know I will!